Na Kyung-won "Respecting the President's Will... Will Do Our Best for the Success of the Yoon Government"

First Statement After Dismissal

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Myunghwan Lee] Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who was dismissed from her positions as Vice Chairperson of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee and Climate Environment Ambassador, expressed her stance, saying she "respects the President's will."

On the 13th, Na posted on her social media (SNS), "Wherever I am, I will do my best for the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and for the Republic of Korea," expressing this position.

President Yoon Seok-yeol dismissed Na from both the Vice Chairperson of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee and Climate Environment Ambassador positions on the same day. It was only three months since her appointment to the three-year ministerial-level post of Vice Chairperson of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee, marking the first case of President Yoon dismissing a ministerial-level public official.

Kim Eun-hye, Chief of Public Relations at the Presidential Office, stated at a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon, "The President dismissed former lawmaker Na Kyung-won today from the positions of Vice Chairperson of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee and Climate Environment Ambassador." Kim Young-mi, a standing member of the committee, was appointed as the new Vice Chairperson, and Cho Hong-sik, a professor at Seoul National University Law School, was appointed as the new Climate Environment Ambassador.

Earlier that day, Na submitted her resignation letter for the Vice Chairperson position of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee in writing. The Presidential Office and Na had maintained a tense relationship since the meeting held on the 5th, where Na, in her capacity as Vice Chairperson, proposed a policy of "loan forgiveness upon childbirth."

Within the People Power Party, criticism of Na arose mainly from pro-Yoon lawmakers. On the same day, Jang Je-won, a People Power Party lawmaker, directly criticized Na, saying, "She is playing the typical victim role as if being persecuted and driven out of her position," and added, "She is pretending to support the President but intends to become the leader of the anti-Yoon (anti-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction." Park Soo-young, also a People Power Party lawmaker, wrote, "The President's success is the success of the Republic of Korea," and "Party members will reject a second Yoo Seung-min," which is interpreted as a remark targeting Na.

On the other hand, Kim Woong, a lawmaker from the same party, came to Na's defense. Kim wrote on his SNS, "Hearing the news today from the Presidential Office that former Representative Na Kyung-won was dismissed reminds me of her past efforts fighting hard against the Democratic Party," and added, "What kind of grave crime is it for Na to want to run for party leader once?"